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R. H. RICHARDS & F. G. COGGIN.

ORE AND MINERAL SEPARATUR.

Patented Feb. 6, 1883.

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NITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

ROBERT H. RICHARDS, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, AND FREDERICK G.

COGGIN, OE LAKE LINDEN, MICHIGAN.

ORE AND MINERAL SEPARATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 271,657, dated February 6, 1883.

Application led fune 19, 1882.

Tov all whom it may concern Be it known that we, ROBERT H. RICHARDS and FREDERICK G. CoGGIN, citizensot' the United States, residing respectively at Boston, in the countyl of' Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, and at Lake Linden, in the county ot' Houghton and State ot` Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Ore and Mineral Separators, ot which the following is the specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in that class of machines known as hydraulic separators, water heilig the means employed for the purpose of separating and washing the ore or mineral. Y V

The object ofourinvention is to more ett'ectually separate, classify, and cleanse that portion of the ore or mineral suitable t'orjigging from that which is unfit to jig, technically called slimei7 le attain these objectsvin the separator shown in the accompanying drawings, in which 1 Figure 1 is a J(ront elevation of a complete separator; Fig.2, a plan ofthe same; Fig-3, a cross vertical section on line xx, Fig. 1; and Fig. 4, a longitudinal vertical section on line .s z, Fig. 2.

Similar letters refer to like parts.

D D, 85e., are the separating-boxes, of which the sides P P are vertical, or nearly so, but the ends O O ot' which should beinclined, as shown, leaving thc bottom ot' the box dat.

a c, Src., are clear-water pipes. which enter the boxes D D from the rear and extend nearly across to the front side. These pipes may pass through a stuffing-box, or be fitted'nicely in the wood, so as to admit of an easy'adjustment out or'in, as the case requires.

B B, Src., are txed spouts which receive the plugs or spigots E, Fig. 3, for the purpose of reducing the size as desired.

c c are shields extending over the ends of the pipes c more or less, and having a greater or less length in the direction of thelength of the separator. These shields have a vertical adjustment, as shown in Fig. 3, and under some circumstances that part extending over the pipe a may be arched more or less in the direction extending around the pipe a, instead of being straight, as shown.

v S S are stops to deect the Water and mineral into the separating-boxes.

The operation is as follows: The ore to be washed and separated entering the separator (No model.)

at m, Fig. 1, mingled with water, settles into the box D around the pipe a, seeking egress through the spigot E. Clear Water enters through the pipe ci with a force required by the circumstances, which is regulated by any convenient means outside the separator. The 6o amount of clear water being in excess of what will go through the spigot E, the office of that excess is to wash and separate the mineral; but to make this operation effectual the clear water must come in contact with all the particles ot` the material, and yet not with suiicient force to carry with the slime the coarscr butlight particles. This is the most delicate part of the operation ot' washing and separating minerals, for in the escape ot the excess of 7o Water absolute uniformity of pressure and velocity ot'current is necessary tothe most perfect washing and separation; otherwise the most rapid current will carry away some of the` coarse particles which should be allowed access to the spigot E, while the slower current would admit some of the tine particles which should be kept back, and an imperfect separation would be the result. To prevent this is the object of the shield c, which causes the excess 8o of Water to react around the water-pipe a with a uniform pressure over the area covered by the shield, presenting a uniform resistance again-st the mineral seeking egress through the spigot E. This reaction constitutes,also,what is technically called a boil,7 which ett'ectually Washes the mineral, the excess o't' water carrying away the slime and allowing only that which is fit for jigging to pass through the spigot E. This operation is repeated in each 9o successive box as far as desired, but with varying conditions ot' Water-pressure and position of pipe c and shield o.

le claim- The separating-box D, having vertical sides 9 5 and inclined ends, in combination with the shield c, clear-water pipe a, and spout B, said pipe and spout being opposite to and near each other, whereby the excess of water is caused to react around said pipe with a uniform pressure roc over the area covered byrsaid shield, substantially as described.

Witnesses z GHAs. A. FRENCH, OTTO STALMANN. 

